It’s hard not to be smitten with Lele Pons. The Venezuelan internet sensation makes us laugh with her silly YouTube videos, looks stunning on red carpets and is leaving her mark in the music scene. The bubbly blonde, 22, is also featured in People en Español’s 50 Most Beautiful issue and talked to the magazine about her songs and her perception of beauty.

“It’s an honor! It feels like a dream come true,” she says of being on the list alongside celebs like Natti Natasha and Gina Rodríguez. “Growing up, I was bullied a lot, so being a part of one of the 50 Most Beautiful is something I could have never even imagined. It’s incredible to be listed alongside all of these talented, amazing and beautiful women.”

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Beauty to her is no frivolous matter. “Being a beautiful person isn’t just about physical looks. I think that being beautiful in 2019 means that you work hard on trying to be a good person and spreading positivity,” she says. “Everyone has different opinions on what they think is beautiful, but I believe that you have to have a kind heart and a strong mind in order to truly be beautiful.”

Having a huge following on Instagram (over 34 million) comes with having to deal with haters. “Social media makes it really easy for people to feel like they can say mean and hurtful things to you. Having a big platform is amazing in so many ways, but I have to remember to not get too caught up in scrolling through every comment or every tweet because there are just always going to be negative people,” she admits. “It’s just better to step away than to engage with people trying to tear you down to make themselves feel better.”

Pons, who is a huge Shakira fan, debuted as a singer with the song “Celoso” and is releasing new music. “I joined Jake Owens on a song called ‘Señorita’ on his new album. It’s my first time releasing something in English and it’s a really fun song! I’ve been in the studio a lot, and I have some really great projects in the works that I can’t talk about yet, but everyone will get to see it soon.”

What’s her inspiration as a songwriter? “Everything I write is inspired in some way by what’s happening in my life. I create from my experiences,” she says. “I’m thankful to be friends with some amazing artists like Alesso and Anitta and watching them work on their music inspires me to get better, too. I want to create songs that people can relate to as they’re singing and dancing.”

Besides dreaming of future duet with her idol Shakira, she would love to make music with Becky G, Camila Cabello and Karol G. “They are so hardworking and their confidence as strong women motivates me to embrace who I am as an artist and a woman on a deeper level,” she adds.

Is there time for a boyfriend or a personal life? “I’m very lucky to be in a position where I get to work with a lot of my best friends and my work doesn’t always feel like work because I love it so much,” the coveted bachelorette assures. “Still, it’s really important to give yourself some space and time to relax! I spend my free time like everybody else. Like spending hours binge watching Netflix or going to the movies.”